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MetroStars Fall in Final Minute Vs Columbus

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - A last minute goal by Jeff Cunningham gave the Columbus Crew their first win of the MLS season, 1-0, over the MetroStars, extending a six-game winning streak for the Crew at Giants Stadium on Saturday night.

Cunningham, who entered the match with 20 minutes remaining, received a cross from Frankie Hejduk from the right flank. Meeting the ball in stride, the Crew's top goal-scorer in 2002 stuck his right knee out five yards from the goal line and sent the ball past outstretched MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Earlier in the game, both teams had scoring opportunities. In the 40th minute, the MetroStars' Clint Mathis received a pass from his new teammate Jaime Moreno. Mathis met the ball as he was racing up the middle and fired a 25-yard shot which Crew goalkeeper Jon Busch deflected for a corner kick.

Columbus had a similar opportunity early in the second half, when midfielder Kyle Martino received a back pass from forward Edson Buddle and struck a curving ball from 20 yards out. Howard cleared it with both hands.

Brian McBride caused problems for the MetroStars defense in the first half. At the 10th minute mark, the forward was taken down outside the box between two defenders after receiving a through ball from midfielder Brian Maisonneuve. Freddy Garcia took the ensuing free kick, which struck the Metros' wall.

In what was an even match from the start, MetroStars Head Coach Bob Bradley began his tenure in New Jersey with three newcomers Mike Magee, Jacob LeBlanc and Ricardo Clark in the starting lineup and all contributed with steady play.

The Crew, rebounding from a 6-0 loss to Morelia of Mexico in the CONCACAF's Champions Cup quarterfinals, has now won the last six consecutive games at Giants Stadium, who was debuting its new FieldTurf surface.

The MetroStars will host the MLS defending champions Los Angeles Galaxy at 7:30 p.m. ET on April 19. That game is expected to feature two of Central America's top players, the Galaxy's Carlos Ruiz of Guatemala and the MetroStars' newly-signed playmaker Amado Guevara of Guatemala, the Metro's new playmaker.

MLS Man of the Match: Tim Howard [MetroStars]

Columbus Crew (1-0-1) at MetroStars (0-1-0)

Scoring Summary:

CLB -- Jeff Cunningham 1 (Frankie Hejduk 1, Brian West 1) 90

Columbus Crew -- Jon Busch, Frankie Hejduk, Mike Clark, Brian Dunseth, Eric Denton, Ross Paule (Brian West 67), Brian Maisonneuve, Kyle Martino (Duncan Oughton 89), Freddy Garcia, Edson Buddle (Jeff Cunningham 62), Brian McBride. Substitutes Not Used: Chad McCarty, Tom Presthus.

TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Freddy Garcia 3, Kyle Martino 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6

(Kyle Martino 2, Ross Paule 2); FOULS: 18 (Brian Maisonneuve 4, Ross Paule 4); OFFSIDES: 3 (Edson Buddle 2); CORNER KICKS: 2 (Ross Paule 2); SAVES: 6 (Jon Busch 6)

MetroStars -- Tim Howard, Craig Ziadie, Eddie Pope, Steve Jolley, Jacob LeBlanc, Ricardo Clark, Clint Mathis, Richie Williams, Joey DiGiamarino, Mike Magee (John Wolyniec 76), Jaime Moreno. Substitutes Not Used: Joseph Addo, Kenny Arena, Tim Glowienka, Paul Grafer, Chris Leitch, Jeff Matteo, Jeff Moore, Tim Regan.

TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Clint Mathis 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Mike Magee 2); FOULS: 16 (Steve Jolley 3); OFFSIDES: 2 (Mike Magee 1, Jaime Moreno 1); CORNER KICKS: 6 (Clint Mathis 6); SAVES: 5 (Tim Howard 4)

Misconduct Summary:

CLB -- Brian Maisonneuve (caution) 18

MET -- Ricardo Clark (caution) 81

Referee: Ricardo Salazar

Referee's Assistants: -Robert Fereday; Steven Davidson

4th Official: Steve Karaduzovic

Attendance: 23,786

Time of Game: 1:48

Weather: Clear-and-60-degrees

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METROSTARS FORWARD CLINT MATHIS

On returning from hernia repair:

"I feel fine. There is still going to be a little pain there, but that is only normal. It will still be there for a week or so, but nothing that is going to keep me from playing. Even when I hit that one shot that [Crew goalkeeper Jon] Busch made a good save on, it felt pretty good. I hit that with 100% of what I had and it felt good."

On playing in the midfield and his new attacking partners:

"That is the position I have always played, until I became a professional. Jaime [Moreno] is definitely a great player we all know and Mike [Magee] is a young guy, but he has great potential. The kid had spurts of the great things he can do. He is going to continue to learn and guys like the ones we have here are only going to make him better."

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